On June 1, 2001, a Palestinian terrorist linked to Hamas and Hezbollah detonated himself at the popular Tel Aviv night club–killing himself, 21 young Israelis and injuring 132 other club-goers.

One of those victims killed was my relative Simona Rudina, who was 17 at the time.

Although I never met Simona, her death had an impact on me. I was ten years old when my family and I learned of her death. Our relatives in Israel informed us of this horrible attack. I recall family there enduring a lot of strife and pain following Simona’s death. It was inconceivable and equally saddening to hear that a terrorist killed someone in our family.

Simona’s father (my dad’s second cousin) and my dad grew up together in Vilnius, Lithuania, which is historically regarded as the ‘Jerusalem of the North’. She and her family immigrated from Lithuania to Israel. Aside from the United States, Israel was the only refuge for Jews facing persecution in the former Soviet Union.

Israel was their new home and the freest place imaginable at the time. They never imagined living there with the expectation to encounter terrorism with attacks like this.

Simona and 20 other Israelis (mostly children of immigrants from the former Soviet Union) were waiting in line to get into the night club. Sadly, they never got that chance.

The victims killed are mentioned below:

Maria Tagiltseva, 14

Yevgeniya Dorfman, 15

Raisa Nemirovskaya, 15

Yulia Sklyanik, 15

Ana Kazachkova, 15

Katherine Kastinyada, 15

Irina Nepomnyashaya, 16

Mariana Medvedenko, 16

Yulia Nalimova, 16

Liana Saakyan, 16

Marina Berkovskaya, 17

Simona Rudina, 17

Alexei Lupalo, 17

Yelena Nalimova, 18

Irina Osadchaya, 18

Ilya Gutman, 19

Sergei Panchenko, 20

Roman Dzhanashvili, 21

Diaz Nurmanov, 21

Jan Bloom, 25

Uri Shachar, 32

This event took place during the Second Intifada, the most deadliest time in Israel’s history thus far.

The ‘Palestinians’ think they can break Israel’s spirit, but they are greatly mistaken. Endless terrorist attacks unleashed on Israelis have devastated the nation. Nevertheless, this particular terrorist attack, reportedly one of Israel’s worst terrorist attacks in the 21st century, helped consolidate the need to erect the West Bank Barrier. Israel is on the defensive and will not give up without a fight.

If that ‘Apartheid’ wall had not been erected, more civilians like my relative Simona Rudina would have been killed. Shamelessly painting that security fence and Israel as a terrorist tool and nation, respectively, is insulting and equally ironic in itself. (Remember, Hamas and similar ‘Palestinian’ groups do not recognize Israel nor do they recognize the Jewish people.)

With plans underway to make a ‘Palestinian’ state in September, the need to support Israel and her right to existence is crucial. Her aggressive neighbors and our current administration want to undermine her.

Giving a hateful, anti-Semitic group like the newly formed Fatah-Hamas coalition and awarding legitimacy to the ‘Palestinian’ cause is ludicrous. Why must Israel continue to make concessions for peace? What will the ‘Palestinians’ relinquish in order to attain peace? The answer: nothing.

Here’s evidence why peace will never be achieved in the Middle East.

Luckily, Israelis understand that a return to 1967 borders is suicide: it leaves Israel with indefensible borders that largely parallels the haunting environment found in Auschwitz.

Like many pro-Israel activists, I’m not a card-carrying member of AIPAC nor am I an Israeli spy. I have been to many pro-Israel events and have fought tireless to defend Israel here at UCSD to supplement my conservative activism (even when unpopular to do so). Whatever it means to be Jewish, (frankly, if you look like a Jew and come from a family of Jews, you are one) I know for a fact that I am one regardless of what people eager to disparage this fact say. Moreover, I love America and our nation’s lasting friendship with Israel; it must continue to thrive against all odds. Like it or not, Israel is a personal matter for many–myself included.

My cousin and others like her were ruthlessly killed by a zealous, hate-filled jihadist. Many, albeit less frequent, similar terrorist attacks since then have occurred in Israel, with the most recent being the Itamar murders. More importantly, the Hamas Charter explicitly calls for Israel’s destruction, the submission to Shar’ia Law, and death to infidels. Simply put, the ‘Palestinians’ are not fit to negotiate peace or have our respect.

If you honestly believe that the ‘Palestinians’ are civil enough to engage in peace talks, think again.

During his recent trip to the United States, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that Israel will maintain its current borders. He also urged the newly formed Hamas-Fatah coalition to recognize Israel.

Until the ‘Palestinians’ denounce their terrorist leaders and their respective actions, they should not be awarded a ‘Palestinian’ state.

If you wish to participate in the ‘Restoring Courage’ U.S. movement, now is the time to get on board. Go to restoringcourageus.com to learn how to restore courage in the United States.

I was a guest on Landmark Report’s ‘Pundit Central’ on May 11th, 2011. LR editor Andrew Lawton invited me, Andrew Staroska of Truth About Bills, and social justice activist Rick Telfer of Canada to talk politics.

In conjunction with Glenn Beck’s ‘Restoring Courage’ Rally in Israel this August, Nicole J. Pearce and I have decided to start a grassroots movement to recruit conservative and pro-Israel activists to host rallies all over America to accompany this event.

Here’s more from Glenn Beck about the ‘Restoring Courage’ rally in Jerusalem:

Now that Obama has thrown Israel under the bus with proposed plans to facilitate the redrawing of Israel’s pre-1967 borders, it is critical that everyone who is pro-Israel get involved. It is also imperative for everyone to stand up for our nation and our allies.